Northampton supercharger - BE WARNED !!

[Glan gluaisne]

The worst one I had was an encounter with the council. I'd popped into town, bought a ticket to park for an hour (as I was only going to the cash point and post office) and then got involved in making a citizens arrest of an armed robber, who had just stolen ~£40,000 worth of jewellery from the shop opposite the cash point. Needless to say, pinning the robber to the ground, waiting for the police to arrive, giving a statement, etc, took some time, so when I got back to the car I wasn't surprised to find I had a ticket. The police officer who interviewed me told me that if I got a ticket I should just write to the council, given them the crime reference number, explain what had happened and they'd cancel the penalty.

I did this, but got a letter back from the council that was incredibly snotty, and suggested that I'd made up the reason for over-staying. It finished by stating that if I ever tried to use the same excuse in future it would not be accepted. I sent a copy of the letter to the local paper (who had already made a front page splash of the story, anyway) and they published it, with an article that was pretty critical of the jobsworth idiots that worked for the council. When I came home from work on the day the paper came out, I found a senior member of the council waiting on my doorstep (along with the press...). He apologised profusely, promised that they would take action to ensure that letters like this weren't sent out in future, and asked if I'd agree to accept his apology on behalf of the council, and let the local paper report it.

Looking back it seems quite funny, although at the time I was pretty annoyed about it. Not as annoyed as I was about the Sunday Mail picking up the original story and turning it into a full page spread, knocking the police...

 

[Adopado]

In the end I just wrote them a politely worded letter, sent by recorded delivery, requesting that they initiate legal proceedings as soon as possible, whereupon I would produce my evidence and they could produce theirs, and we could find out once and for all who was right. They just didn't reply to that, and I didn't hear anything else from them.

Yes, this is a tactic that has worked for me in the past (not related to parking) where I was being threatened with legal action. I was confident of my case so I responded saying that I would be delighted if they could initiate legal proceedings as soon as possible ... that was the end of it!

 

[rotor2k]

There's one in London Tower Hill which is in the underground car park of the Guoman hotel. You have to go to reception and get your ticket validated (you go through a barrier on the way in which gives you a ticket). It only has 2 spots, but it's nice to hang out in the hotel lobby (there's a bar/cafe and a Tesco around the corner).

 

[CMc1]

Their TripAdvisor is full of Tesla owners complaining and the hotel management always say they’ll cancel on their behalf.

There is also other threads on here and SpeakEV mentioning same policy.

There’s no need to pay.

signs are everywhere and the car map says to register in reception too.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Might it be an idea to take a photo of your car charging at any of these, slightly controversial, Supercharger sites?

AFAIK, all 'phones and many cameras attach the date, time and location when the photo was taken to the photo, so that might be useful in terms of proving that you were using a Supercharger, rather than potentially abusing parking facilities.

It doesn't beat just notifying the hotel, or whoever, but might be a useful backstop if that notification fails to work, for any reason.

 

[BK11SBY]

Just inside reception there is a tablet on a stand. as soon as you start typing your reg, it selects the photo of your car from the ANPR. You select your car and thats it you're done.
Quite a few signs dotted about, you get 10 mins for free, anything over that just sign in on the tablet. This is a heavy use site and limits your charge to 80%.
On another note the last 2 times i've been, I stayed for 30-35 mins and 4 of the other stalls never moved. In that time I had charged my MS85 from 21% to 80%. Don't know where the other drivers had gone, maybe for a meal at the Harvester.

 

[Cowpring]

This is a heavy use site and limits your charge to 80%..

I don't think it actually restricts your car to only charge to 80% though does it?

I've had this before - says a high usage site and sets the charge limit to 80%, but you can just go in and raise the limit to 100% after if you want.

 

[BK11SBY]

It changed my setting from 90% to 80% whilst I was plugged in. I didn't think to try and overide it again, and think it's probably a good idea if people are waiting.

 

[menzic]

Does warn here about the charging. I wouldn’t have guessed that you needed to register if I was in a rush:

Northampton Supercharger | Tesla UK

 

[Mark_T]

Does warn here about the charging. I wouldn’t have guessed that you needed to register if I was in a rush:

The signage right next to each charger isn't exactly subtle either, there really isn't much of an excuse for anyone to miss the need to register.

It's just like any other private car park, you read the signs to see what the conditions are for use...

 

[Jason71]

Might it be an idea to take a photo of your car charging at any of these, slightly controversial, Supercharger sites?

AFAIK, all 'phones and many cameras attach the date, time and location when the photo was taken to the photo, so that might be useful in terms of proving that you were using a Supercharger, rather than potentially abusing parking facilities.

Would it though? Photo meta data is pretty easily amended.

 

[Rooster6655]

Would it though? Photo meta data is pretty easily amended.

so are word documents and PDF files but these are still used in courts

 

[93:20]

I use this all the time, if you're polite the staff are great. After reading all of these last time I charged I counted out of interest and found 19 signs in the car park advising about registering your vehicle and one specifically by every charging bay. The signs in the car park are large and obvious, the notes on screen in the car if you tap on the map also tell you to register at reception like on most of the charger sites I have used in the past. In the hotel whilst I had my espresso I was wandering around reception I counted 13 signs notifying about having to register your vehicle, not counting the ones in the gents when I used the facilities, I assume they're in the ladies also....

Not sure what else they can do to make you aware, myself and the other Tesla drivers I see frequently when I charge have no issues. So no idea why so many complain, register your Tesla within 10 minutes and avoid having to deal with Parking Eye (who seem to run most hotel car parks these days that I go to) its that simple!

 

[davidmc]

To all that use the Northampton SuC the hotel is closed and they have put the following sign up. This is copied from the Facebook group and is from there and not mine. Save it if you need evidence.

Also it seems people are still getting tickets using this SuC so you will need to have photo evidence and time :/

Greedy ticket companies taking the pee in these uncertain times.

 

[CMc1]

I was there earlier in the week to charge, these signs are everywhere and looks like amazon are currently using the car park as parking lot for their vans. (Probably the main reason the APNR is there in the first place).

 

[Battpower]

I just got done here. Even having read this thread when it was first posted, I was in a rush and busting for the toilet. Read the sign, got as far as 30 minutes use, thought that was not long but OK, and ran into the hotel. Thought about eating there, but with only 30 mins, gave it a miss.

Really sucks. Worst is just paying up to such corrupt extortion tactics as I was caught once before by Parking Eye for spending 15 minutes trying to pay to park and eventually giving up and having to go elsewhere!

I get that there are loads of signs. The world is full of signs. You don't read every line of every sign.... you just read enough to believe you have understood what's required. The fact that Campanile have no system for me to prove that my use was legitimate after the event just rubs salt in the wound.

Speaking to the guy at the hotel that deals with parking, I got the impression that Tesla are either owners or effective owner / responsible for the supercharger area and since it is for Tesla vehicles only, its hard to understand what is going on and who benefits other than ParkingEye.

 

[Julius1973]

I have just bought a Model X, live in Northamptonshire and have used this SC 3 times previously in the last 6 weeks.
I had my sons with me each time and was straight to the charger, plugged straight in and did not read the notices.
Today I used it for the 4th time and sat outside, where a kind man on the next table advised I needed to sign in.
I did and explained to the receptionist my previous mistakes.
I am now worried I maybe receiving multiple fines

 

[Mark_T]

I have just bought a Model X, live in Northamptonshire and have used this SC 3 times previously in the last 6 weeks.
I had my sons with me each time and was straight to the charger, plugged straight in and did not read the notices.
Today I used it for the 4th time and sat outside, where a kind man on the next table advised I needed to sign in.
I did and explained to the receptionist my previous mistakes.
I am now worried I maybe receiving multiple fines

Do let us know how it goes...

 

[CBeecroft]

I got mightily cross when I returned from holiday yesterday to find a Parking Charge Notice for £100 (reduced to £60 if paid by 3rd January) in the post in relation to when I charged at Northampton on 17th December 2019.
For those who have not used them, the superchargers are located in the grounds of the Campanile Hotel. Apparently there are notices saying that all vehicles using the carpark have to go into the hotel and register their car number into a terminal at reception. Having been at a stressful meeting and having other things on my mind I did not clock this fact. I set the charging in motion and went into the hotel for a meal, and was there 1h 19m.
I decided to pay the fine and only having done so did I contact the hotel, and speak to the duty manager. Apparently the hotel is very close to a big Amazon depot and they have had great problems with Amazon staff using their carpark, hence the need to register that folk using the chargers are, in effect, hotel users. He said that, had I contacted him before paying the fine, he could have had it waived and he asked me to publicise this fact.
So, if you use the Northampton chargers always register your vehicle in the hotel reception. If you get fined, take it up with the management.

I just got caught here as well - completely missed the signage. If you are parked back up to the chargers (so blocking the warning sign)and focused just on charging the car (- hoisting off the charger, opening charger port etc. it is actually quite easy to miss if you are not expecting charges or to need to register. I am going to pay as am going through clearance for a new job and don't want to risk any issues,, but Tesla should put the notices ON the chargers themselves and there should be a large sign in front of the chargers on the wall. For all the people who post on here probably another 50 or so have got caught!

 

[Battpower]

I just got caught here as well - completely missed the signage. If you are parked back up to the chargers (so blocking the warning sign)and focused just on charging the car (- hoisting off the charger, opening charger port etc. it is actually quite easy to miss if you are not expecting charges or to need to register. I am going to pay as am going through clearance for a new job and don't want to risk any issues,, but Tesla should put the notices ON the chargers themselves and there should be a large sign in front of the chargers on the wall. For all the people who post on here probably another 50 or so have got caught!

I totally sympathise.

That's exactly my recollection of when I was 'caught out'.

And neither do I understand why they don't just change the Tesla '30 minute' sign to say 'register within 10 minutes of arrival' but of course that wouldn't make sense for Parking Eye.

What I do not understand is what's in it for the hotel. I believe they own the carpark but hand over the penalty collection in exchange for management of the parking.